Gov’t sees upskilling as key to raising wages

THE government is focused on upskilling the workforce en route to ensuring wage growth and making workers ready for the future, the Palace said on Thursday.

Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said the administration’s focus remains on elevating the quality of jobs and protecting worker welfare.

She said at a briefing that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., has directed Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino to ensure “stable employment and higher wages.”

The administration’s workforce programs include the expansion of “Trabaho Agad” job fairs to offer job opportunities to applicants in various regions of the Philippines

There were about 2.50 million jobless as of May, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Overall, the the labor force was estimated at 52.13 million.

The youth labor force participation rate in May was 32.3%, with approximately 6.10 million youth currently employed, the PSA said.

To bridge the gap between education and employment, the government has implemented the Labor Education for Graduating Students program, designed to prepare them for entry into the professional workforce, according to Ms. Castro.

Beyond immediate employment, she said the government is also focusing on long-term skills development. Ms. Castro highlighted the partnership between the Department of Labor and Employment and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to provide additional training for learners and workers.

She added the government is incorporating entrepreneurship training for livelihood program participants to promote economic independence.

According to the World Economic Forum, urgent, large-scale upskilling is now a global economic necessity to prepare workers for massive structural disruptions expected to affect nearly a quarter of all jobs by 2030.

“It is timely to develop the labor force and invest in employable skills to make workers future-ready,” Ms. Castro said.

In terms of wages, Mr. Marcos said on Wednesday that following Metro Manila’s record P85 wage hike, regional tripartite wage boards are actively reviewing inflation and living costs to determine if other provinces will implement matching wage increases later this year. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking